Mountain Bluebird

Scientific Name: Sialia currucoides

Population Estimate: 5.2M

Range / Habitat: Ranch land and other open areas of the American West. Winters extending into Mexico. Summers extending into Canada.

Field Notes: Slight thrush. Male bright blue back, duller blue underneath. Bill, eye and legs black. No other markings. Female duller grey / blue. Eastern Bluebird and Western Bluebird similar but both have red on their breasts. Lazuli Bunting with short, thick bill, white wing bars, and extensive white on chest and belly. Townsend's Solitaire similar to female but with white eye ring and wing bars.

Personal Notes: Seen in various montane locations in Wyoming and Montana.

Eastern Wood-pewee

Scientific Name: Contopus virens

Population Estimate: 6M, Least Concern status

Range / Habitat: A bird of the middle canopy, breeds throughout the eastern US in summer then migrates to northwestern South America for winter.

Field Notes: Medium-sized flycatcher, grey / olive above and pale below. Pale white wingbars. No eye ring or only a faint one. Call is distinctive. Lack of prominent eye ring distinguishes it from Empidonax flycatchers. Presence of wingbars and call differentiate from Eastern Phoebe.

Personal Notes: Spotted and heard on a bike trip from Minneapolis to Stillwater, MN.

Yellow-faced Grassquit

Scientific Name: Tiaris olivaceus

Population Estimate: 500K to 5M

Range / Habitat: Subtropical / tropical lowland shrub and grass land in Mexico, Central America, northwestern South America and several Caribbean islands.

Field Notes: Small olive green passerine with thick, short bill. Males and females both with yellow throat and superciliary, though much more pronounced in males.

Personal Notes: Seen at Monteverde Lodge, Costa Rica

Northern Barred Woodcreeper

Scientific Name: Dendrocolaptes sanctithomae

Population Estimate: 50-500K

Range / Habitat: Subtropical / tropical lowland moist forest of southern Mexico, Central America, northwestern South America.

Field Notes: Large woodcreeper with straight, stout bill. Fine black barring on head, neck and chest which distinguishes it from many other woodcreepers which have white streaking. Distinctive call.

Personal Notes: Seen at Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica

Streak-headed Woodcreeper

Scientific Name: Lepidocolaptes souleyetii

Population Estimate: 500K to 5M

Range / Habitat: Subtropical / tropical dry forest throughout southern Mexico, Central America, and northern South America.

Field Notes: Large woodcreeper with streaked head (extending onto back) and chest. Rufous back and wings. Relatively thin, pinkish, decurved bill. Bill and call distinguish from Cocoa Woodcreeper and Ivory-billed Woodcreeper.

Personal Notes: Seen at Carara National Park, Costa Rica

Stripe-tailed Hummingbird

Scientific Name: Eupherusa eximia

Population Estimate: 50-500K

Range / Habitat: Subtropical / tropical montane (800-2500m) moist forest of southern Mexico and Central America.

Field Notes: Small green hummingbird with thin, straight bill. Prominent rufous wing and white outer rectrices in both sexes. Female with white throat and belly. Black-bellied Hummingbird similar but with black face and belly.

Personal Notes: Seen at Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve

Thick-billed Seed Finch

Scientific Name: Oryzoborus funereus

Population Estimate: 500K to 5M

Range / Habitat: Found in lowland shrubby and grassy areas from southern Mexico, through Central America, and into northwestern South America.

Field Notes: Medium-sized passerine with finch beak. Male all black with white wing patch, nearly identical to Variable Seedeater but with straight culmen. Female warm brown without distinguishing marks, as in photo above. This warm color distinguishes from female of Variable Seedeater.

Personal Notes: Seen at Arenal Nayara Hotel, Costa Rica

Fiery-billed Aracari

Scientific Name: Pteroglossus frantzii

Population Estimate: Unknown, but Least Concern status

Range / Habitat: Endemic to tropical lowland moist forest in central and southern Pacific slope of Costa Rica and Panama.

Field Notes: Medium-sized toucan with bright red upper mandible. Quite similar to Collared Aracari, though range does not overlap in Costa Rica and bill readily distinguishes between the two.

Personal Notes: Seen at Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica

Black-mandibled Toucan

Scientific Name: Ramphastos ambiguus

Population Estimate: Unknown, but Least Concern status

Range / Habitat: Tropical lowland and montane moist forest in Central America and northwestern South America.

Field Notes: Large toucan with bicoloured yellow and dark bill. Easily distinguished from Keel-billed Toucan.

Personal Notes: Seen en route from Carara NP to Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica. Some sources consider this bird a distinct species, Chestnut-mandibled Toucan.

Plain Wren

Scientific Name: Cantorchilus modestus

Population Estimate: 500K - 5M

Range / Habitat: Lowland and foothill dry and moist forests, including forest edges, in southern Mexico and Central America.

Field Notes: Drab wren with only minimal banding on tail, white superciliary, black eye stripe and all white throat, chest, belly and flanks. Further distinguished by simple, piercing call.

Personal Notes: Seen at Monteverde Lodge, Costa Rica

Grey-crowned Yellowthroat

Scientific Name: Geothlypis poliocephala

Population Estimate: 500K to 5M

Range / Habitat: Lowland shrub land, grass land, degraded former forest in southern Mexico and Central America.

Field Notes: Warbler with relatively large bill, yellow underparts, olive upperparts. Grey crown and small black mask distinguish it from Olive-crowned Yellowthroat, Common Yellowthroat, and Masked Yellowthroat.

Personal Notes: Seen in Monteverde area, Costa Rica

Black-hooded Antshrike

Scientific Name: Thamnophilus bridgesi

Population Estimate: Unknown, but Least Concern status

Range / Habitat: Tropical lowland moist forest of Costa Rica and Panama.

Field Notes: Medium-sized passerine with thick, hooked bill. Overall dark grey to black, both sexes with white speckling on shoulder. Male otherwise undistinguished. Female with additional white barring over head, neck and breast.

Personal Notes: Seen at Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica

Band-tailed Pigeon

Scientific Name: Patagioenas fasciata

Population Estimate: 4M

Range / Habitat: Montane moist forest from British Columbia, down through the Rockies, Mexico and Central America and into South America.

Field Notes: Large grey pigeon with white band on nape, short yellow bill, and yellow legs which make it distinctive. Named for white terminal band on tail.

Personal Notes: Seen at Monteverde Lodge, Costa Rica

Tennessee Warbler

Scientific Name: Oreothlypis peregrina

Population Estimate: 60M

Range / Habitat: Breeds in the Canadian boreal forest. Winters in Central American through northwestern South America and many Caribbean islands.

Field Notes: Small passerine with thin, pointed bill. Olive back, white underparts, including undertail coverts. Grey head with white eyebrow, thin dark eye stripe, and white malar area.

Personal Notes: Seen at Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica

Northern Crested Caracara

Scientific Name: Caracara cheriway

Population Estimate: 2M

Range / Habitat: Subtropical / tropical lowland shrub land and open areas in Mexico, Central America and northern South America.

Field Notes: Large raptor with white head, neck and belly. Dark cap and large orange bill is distinctive. Dark back and tail. In flight, two pale patches on wrist when seen from above. They are primarily scavengers. Laughing Falcon has dark mask and yellow cap. Yellow-headed Caracara has all yellow head.

Personal Notes: Seen en route from Carara NP to Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica

Bridled Tern

Scientific Name: Onychoprion anaethetus

Population Estimate: 610K to 1.5M

Range / Habitat: Bird of the tropical oceans, breeding off the Pacific and Atlantic coast of Central America including the Carribean, off small areas of western Africa, around Arabia and eastern Africa down to South Africa, off the coast of India, and in much of south-east Asia and Australasia excluding southern Australia and New Zealand. They overwinter at sea.

Field Notes: Medium-sized but delicate tern with thin black bill. Minimal black crest and eye stripe form a "bridle" on the otherwise white head and neck. Wings and tail dark grey, underparts white. Least Tern considerably smaller with yellow bill and legs.

Personal Notes: Seen offshore from Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica

Common Tody-Flycatcher

Scientific Name: Todirostrum cinereum

Population Estimate: 5M - 50M

Range / Habitat: Common in gardens, shady plantations, second growth and the edges and clearings of forest at a variety of elevations, although it avoids the dense interior of mature woodland and also arid areas. Found in southern Mexico to northwestern Peru, eastern Bolivia and southern Brazil.

Field Notes: Small black and yellow flycatcher with short tail, frequently held upright. Yellow eyes set in black head, which differentiates it from other tody-flycatchers. Black back though wings edged in yellow. Yellow underparts.

Personal Notes: Seen at Carara National Park, Costa Rica

Great Tinamou

Scientific Name: Tinamus major

Range / Habitat: Year-round in tropical lowland, moist, mature forest throughout southern Mexico, Central America, northern South America.

Field Notes: Medium-sized plump terrestrial bird with small head and essentially no tail. Overall brownish / grey with dark barring posteriorly. Grey legs. Distinctive call.

Personal Notes: Seen at Carara National Park, Costa Rica.

Buff-rumped Warbler

Scientific Name: Phaeothlypis fulvicauda

Population Estimate: Unknown, but Least Concern status

Range / Habitat: Lowland moist forest and inland wetlands in Central America and northern South America.

Field Notes: Long-tailed warbler with with dark brown head, back and tail. Buff underparts, eyebrow, and rump. The above photo is a juvenile of the species.

Personal Notes: Seen at Arenal Hanging Bridges, Costa Rica

Passerini's Tanager

Scientific Name: Ramphocelus passerinii

Population Estimate: 50-500K

Range / Habitat: Lowland moist forest, extending into shrub land and open areas in southern Mexico and Central America.

Field Notes: Medium-sized tanager, both sexes with red eye and light blue bill with dark tip. Males all black with extensive scarlet rump. Females with grey head, darker grey wings and tail. Chest and back are mottled dull yellow and olive. Males indistinguishable from Cherrie's Tanager. Female Cherrie's Tanager has bright orange on breast and rump.

Personal Notes: Seen at Lake Arenal, Costa Rica. Also known as Scarlet-rumped Tanager

Long-billed Starthroat

Scientific Name: Heliomaster longirostris

Population Estimate: 500K to 5M

Range / Habitat: Subtropical / tropical lowland moist forest from southern Mexico, through Central America, down through much of South America.

Field Notes: Hummingbird with long, straight bill. Back is mottled olive and white, buffy underparts. Facial pattern is distinctive with blue cap and pink throat, though color not apparent in photo above. White postocular spot distinguishes from Plain-capped Starthroat.

Personal Notes: Seen at Arenal Nayara Hotel, Costa Rica

Black-cheeked Woodpecker

Scientific Name: Melanerpes pucherani

Population Estimate: 50-500K

Range / Habitat: Subtropical / tropical lowland moist forest in southern Mexico, Central America, and northwestern South America.

Field Notes: Medium-sized woodpecker with red nape in both male and female, black cheek and white postocular spot. Yellow tuft at base of bill. Black and white ladder pattern on back. Light grey horizontal stripes on belly. Similar to Golden-naped Woodpecker but no range overlap.

Personal Notes: Seen at Arenal Nayara Hotel, Costa Rica

Slaty Spinetail

Scientific Name: Synallaxis brachyura

Population Estimate: Unknown, but Least Concern status

Range / Habitat: Central America and northwestern South America lowlands and foothills up to 1500m in a range of scrubby habitats, including second growth, road and river edges, and overgrown pasture.

Field Notes: Medium-sized passerine with long, tapered tail that can splay out in a distinctive way as above. Overall dark grey bird with tawny cap and wings. Pale-breasted Spinetail is less dark grey overall with light breast.

Personal Notes: Seen at Arenal Nayara Hotel, Costa Rica

Tawny-capped Euphonia

Scientific Name: Euphonia anneae

Population Estimate: Unknown, but Least Concern status

Range / Habitat: Endemic to mature, wet montane forests between 400 and 1700m in Costa Rica, Panama, and Columbia.

Field Notes: Small passerine with relatively short tail. Both male and female have diagnostic tawny crown. Male has dark purple / black head and back, yellow underneath. Female has olive / green upperparts, grey / buff underneath.

Personal Notes: Seen at Arenal Hanging Bridges, Costa Rica

Grey-throated Leaftosser

Scientific Name: Sclerurus albigularis

Population Estimate: Unknown, but Least Concern status

Range / Habitat: Subtropical / tropical montane moist forest in Central America, northern South American, Trinidad and Tobago.

Field Notes: Medium-sized thrush-type bird with relatively long, thick, decurved bill and short tail. Overall brown with light grey throat.

Personal Notes: Seen at Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, Costa Rica

White-eared Ground Sparrow

Scientific Name: Melozone leucotis

Population Estimate: 20-50K

Range / Habitat: Tropical montane moist forest edges in Central America.

Field Notes: Large sparrow with black head and bib, olive / brown back and white belly. White spots in front and back of eyes along with yellow patches on the sides of the neck are diagnostic.

Personal Notes: Seen at Monteverde Lodge, Costa Rica

Blue-and-white Swallow

Scientific Name: Notiochelidon cyanoleuca

Population Estimate: 5-50M

Range / Habitat: Open areas and forest edges from lowlands to elevations of 4000M Breeds from Nicaragua south throughout South America, except in the deserts and Amazon Basin.

Field Notes: Swallow with shimmery blue head and back, black wings and undertail coverts, white throat, chest and belly. Tree Swallow has white undertail coverts. Mangrove Swallow more green with white undertail coverts and white rump.

Personal Notes: Seen at Monteverde Lodge, Costa Rica

Black-faced Solitaire

Scientific Name: Myadestes melanops

Population Estimate: Unknown, but Least Concern status

Range / Habitat: Endemic to tropical montane moist forest in Costa Rica and Panama.

Field Notes: Medium-sized passerine, overall slate grey with black mask, orange bill, orange feet. Has a piercing, resonant call, reminiscent of a squeaky gate.

Personal Notes: Seen at Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, Costa Rica

Chestnut-capped Brush Finch

Scientific Name: Arremon brunneinucha

Population Estimate: 500K to 5M

Range / Habitat: Subtropical / tropical montane moist forest from southern Mexico, through Central America, to northwestern South America.

Field Notes: Medium-sized finch. Adults have a chestnut crown and bright white throat which aid identification. Black mask and necklace, olive-green back, white chest and belly. The above is a juvenile of the species.

Personal Notes: Seen at Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, Costa Rica

Golden-bellied Flycatcher

Scientific Name: Myiodynastes hemichrysus

Population Estimate: Unknown, but Least Concern status

Range / Habitat: Endemic to the tropical montane moist forest of Costa Rica and Panama.

Field Notes: Large flycatcher with common coloration of olive back, bright yellow underparts, and black and white streaked head. This is the only one with a dark lateral throat stripe, however.

Personal Notes: Seen at Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, Costa Rica

Collared Trogon

Scientific Name: Trogon collaris

Population Estimate: 5M - 50M

Range / Habitat: Subtropical / tropical lowland and montane moist forest in eastern Mexico through Central America and into the Amazon basin, including southeast Brazil. 

Field Notes: Both sexes with orange belly, white necklace, and yellow bill. Males with green head, neck and back, dark face and wings. Females with brown head, neck and back, white eye ring. Similar to Elegant Trogon, but little range overlap.

Personal Notes: Seen at Monteverde Lodge, Costa Rica. Some sources split this species with Orange-bellied Trogon being endemic to Costa Rica and Panama.

Golden-crowned Spadebill

Scientific Name: Platyrinchus coronatus

Population Estimate: Unknown, but Least Concern status

Range / Habitat: Subtropical / tropical lowland moist and swamp forest areas in Central America and northern South America.

Field Notes: Small, stubby passerine with nearly absent tail and broad bill. Facial features characteristic of spadebills: dark crown with black postocular and malar stripe on otherwise white face. White eyering. Olive back and rust-colored crown distinguish it from other spadebills.

Personal Notes: Seen at Carara National Park, Costa Rica

Rufous-naped Wren

Scientific Name: Campylorhynchus rufinucha

Population Estimate: 50-500K

Range / Habitat: Lowland dry shrub land of southern Mexico and Central America

Field Notes: Large wren with distinctive black and white striped head, red eye, rufous nape and back, barring on wings and tail.

Personal Notes: En route Monteverde to Carara, Costa Rica

Hoffmann's Woodpecker

Scientific Name: Melanerpes hoffmannii

Population Estimate: Unknown, but Least Concern status

Range / Habitat: Subtropical / tropical dry forest in a wide range of altitudes (up to 2100m) in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras.

Field Notes: Medium-sized woodpecker with yellow nape in both male and female, plain white face, neck and belly. Yellow tuft at base of bill. Males with red crown. Similar to Red-crowned Woodpecker, but nape and belly help distinguish.

Personal Notes: Seen en route from Monteverde to Cararas National Park, Costa Rica

Red-crowned Woodpecker

Scientific Name: Melanerpes rubricapillus

Population Estimate: Unknown, but Least Concern status

Range / Habitat: Lowland dry forest in Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, and Trinidad and Tobago

Field Notes: Medium-sized woodpecker with plain white face, neck and chest. Black and white ladder back. Males with distinctive red crown and nape. Females with subtle red nape only. Red belly patch in both sexes, which is often difficult to see. Hoffmann's Woodpecker has yellow nape in both sexes.

Personal Notes: Seen at Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica

Olivaceous Piculet

Scientific Name: Picumnus olivaceus

Population Estimate: Unknown, but Least Concern status

Range / Habitat: Subtropical / tropical lowland and montane moist forest in Central American and northwestern South America.

Field Notes: Very small (4”) woodpecker with olive back, black speckled head, and black tail with white central rectrices.

Personal Notes: Seen at Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica

Long-tailed Manakin

Scientific Name: Chiroxiphia linearis

Population Estimate: 50-500K

Range / Habitat: Mature moist and dry forest up to 1500m elevation in southern Mexico and Central America.

Field Notes: Small passerine with distinctive, liquid call. Males black with red cap, blue wings, and long, thin central rectrices. Female olive brown with black face, red cap, and much shorter central rectrices. Very similar to Lance-tailed Manakin, but no range overlap.

Personal Notes: Seen in the rain forest between Monteverde Lodge and a large private reserve in Costa Rica

White-throated Magpie-Jay

Scientific Name: Calocitta formosa

Population Estimate: 50-500K

Range / Habitat: Subtropical / tropical lowland dry forest and shrub land in southern Mexico and Central America.

Field Notes: Large passerine with long tail and dramatic blue, black and white plumage. Unmistakable in range.

Personal Notes: Seen en route from Monteverde to Cararas National Park, Costa Rica

Streak-chested Antpitta

Scientific Name: Hylopezus perspicillatus

Population Estimate: Unknown, but Least Concern status

Range / Habitat: Tropical lowland moist forest in Central America and northwestern South America

Field Notes: Small passerine with stubby tail. Prominent buff eyering, black streaking on white chest, and dark malar stripe. Head grey and back brown.

Personal Notes: Seen at Carara National Park, Costa Rica due to the diligence shown by our guide, William. Also known as Steak-chested Antpitta.

Black-throated Trogon

Scientific Name: Trogon rufus

Population Estimate: Unknown, but Least Concern status

Range / Habitat: Subtropical / tropical lowland moist forest in Central America and throughout South America.

Field Notes: Both sexes with yellow breast and bill, pale eye ring. Male with green head and dark throat. Female with brown head. Violaceous Trogon has yellow eye ring and grey bill.

Personal Notes: Seen at Carara National Park, Costa Rica.